ACSM Certification Exam

Taking the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)?

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world, with more than 20,000 International, National and Regional members. ACSM is leading the way to a better quality of life for people around the world through health and fitness research, education, advocacy and its newest program, Exercise is Medicine. Since 1975, ACSM has certified more than 45,000 health and fitness professionals in 44 different countries.

Registration

Candidates must provide two forms of proper identification.

ACSM Certified Personal Trainer Minimum Requirements

A high school diploma or equivalent AND
Possess current Adult CPR certification that has a practical skills examination component (such as the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross).

ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist Minimum Requirements

An Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in a health-related field from a regionally accredited College or University (one is eligible to sit for the exam if the candidate is in the last term or semester of their degree program), AND
Possess current Adult CPR certification that has a practical skills examination component (such as the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross).

ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist Minimum Requirements

A Bachelor’s Degree in an allied health field from a regionally accredited college or university (one is eligible to sit for the exam if the candidate is in the last term of their degree program); AND
Minimum of 600 hours of practical experience in a clinical exercise program AND Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS).

ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist® Minimum Requirements

A Master’s Degree from a college or university in exercise science, movement science, exercise physiology, or kinesiology; AND

Current Certification as a Basic Life Support Provider or CPR for the Professional Rescuer; AND

A Bachelor’s Degree in a health related field from a regionally accredited college or university, or

A Bachelor’s degree in any subject and 1,200 hours of experience in settings promoting physical activity, healthy lifestyle management or other health promotion.

Requests to cancel or transfer an ACSM exam must be made at least one business day in advance of the appointment. If the candidate does not reschedule or cancel, they will be billed for the exam. All requests must be made either by calling Pearson VUE at 1-888-883-2276 or at www.pearsonvue.com/.

Exam Format
The examination for each level of certification is composed of multiple choice questions drawn from the KSAs found in the current edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.

Complete Study Guide with Everything you need to pass this tough exam including sample test questions!